Box transfer mechanism



Sept. 15, 1953 M. TARANTO BOX TRANSFER MECHANISM Filed Dec. 11, 1951INVENTOR- MON ROE TARANTO H IS ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 15, 1953 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE BOX TRANSFER MECHANISMMonroe Taranto, Ridgewood, N. J.

Application December 11, 1951, Serial No. 260,958

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in transfer and conveyingdevices, and it relates particularly to devices for transferring set-upcardboard boxes from a box folding or forming machine to the operator ofa semi-automatic box wrapping machine.

A great many manufacturers of fancy wrapped or covered cardboard boxesused for packaging candies, cakes, and other confections, cosmetics andother articles are equipped with the socalled quad staying machines bymeans of which a box blank is folded or set-up into boxlike form. Theseset-up boxes are transferred by means of a conveyor to an operator, whopicks up the boxes and places and centers them on wrappers with whichthe boxes are to be covered. The boxes and wrappers are then conveyed toa box wrapping machine where the wrapper is folded around and glued tothe box. Usually, the operation of the wrapping machine is controlled bymeans of a switch actuated by the box forming machine so that theiroperating speeds are related to each other.

Fully automatic machines are available for both setting up the boxes,placing them on the wrappers and feeding the assembly to the wrappingmachine. In many instances, however, the cost of replacement of thesemi-automatic machines with fully automatic machines, is so great thatit cannot be justified by the increased rate of production possible withautomatic machines.

The principal difference in the rate of operation of the fully automaticmachines and the semi-automatic machines resides in the human factor,namely, the operator or feeder of the semiautomatic wrapping machine.Considerable manual dexterity and skill are required to pick up theboxes and center them accurately on the wrappers as they move past theoperator's station. The movements of the operator are further dependentupon the position of the setup boxes with respect to the operator. Withthe usual conveyor arrangement, it is necessary for the operator toreach across the conveyor which feeds the wrapping machine and pick up abox from the conveyor leading from the quad. Inasmuch as. the operatormust reach across the conveyor to pick up the boxes, the speed of theoperator is decreased. Moreover, the constant reaching and stretchingfor the boxes is very tiring so that the operator can Work for only .arelatively short period of time. This requires the service of anotheroperator or shutting down of the machines.

I have found that when. the set-up boxes are.

4.- fed into a position which is closer to the operator and moreconveniently located with respect to the conveyor for feeding thewrapping machine, the eficiency of the operator is greatly increased,the work is made less tiresome and the outputof wrapped boxes can beincreased to such an eX- tent that it is closely, comparable to that ofthe fully automatic machines.

The present invention, therefore, has as its principal object theprovision of a device which can be used with box forming andsemi-automatic wrapping machines to transfer the set-up boxes from theconveyor of the box-forming machine into a position which enables theoperator to, pick up and place the boxes on the wrappers with a minimumof reaching and resulting fatigue.

Other objects of the invention, and the advantages thereof, will becomeapparent from the following description of a typical device embodyingthe present invention.

In accordance with the present invention, I have provided anarticle-controlled transfer mechanism, by means of which the boxes beingadvanced by the conveyor of the box-forming machine, are transferredinto a position in front of the operator of the wrapping machine andclosely adjacent to the wrappers carried by the feed conveyor of thewrapping machine so that the operator can pick up the boxes and transferthem directly to the wrapper with a minimum of reaching and othermovements.

More particularly, the transfer mechanism includes a pusher membercontrolled by means of an electric eye which pushes the set-up boxesfrom the conveyor from the box-forming machine on to a table or platformto form an advancing row of boxes, the nearest one being directly infront of the operator so that it can be picked up by the operator andtransferred to the conveyor of the wrapping machine.

Moreover, the transfer mechanism can be controlled independently by theoperator to render it ineffective when a damaged or improperly formedbox is discharged from the box former,

or toby-pass and accumulate boxes when the wrapping machine is shut downfor reloading, adjustment or the like.

My transfer mechanism has been found to increase greatly the rate ofproduction of the wrapped boxes so that the production rate iscomparable to that of a fully automatic machine, while, at the sametime, it is considerably less tiring to the operator.

For a better understanding of the present in-v vention, reference may behad to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a transfer mechanism embodying the presentinvention shown with a portion of the conveyor for transferring theboxes from the box stayin or forming machine and a portion of theconveyor for feeding the boxes and wrappers to the box wrapping machine;

Figure 2 is a side view of the transfer mecha nism; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the pusher member for the transfermechanism.

Referring now to Figure 1, the set-up or formed boxes from the boxstaying or forming machine are transferred to the left by means of aconveyor belt It. A series of the boxes B, Bl, B2, B3 and so forth areshown in dotted lines on the conveyor. As indicated, the boxes usuallyare placed on the conveyor in fairly uniformly spaced relation, a matterwhich is important in the timing of the box forming machine to the boxwrapping machine. The conveyor Ii) is supported by means of rollers (notshown) carried rotatably by a platform or frame I I. Adjacent to, andparallel with the conveyor It, is a second conveyor l2 which suppliesthe wrappers W and the boxes centered thereon to a box wrapping machineof conventional type, not shown. The conveyor 12 is advanced step bystep under the control of a switch (not shown) which is actuated by thebox forming machine. The switch and associated structure areconventional.

The new box transfer mechanism is interposed between the conveyor it]and the conveyor l2 and is utilized to transfer the boxes, B, El, E2,etc. to a table i3 within convenient reachin distance of the operator atthe station 0. The table 13 extends from the edge of the table or frameH to a location overlying the edge of the conveyor l2 so that theoperator has to reach only a short distance above and beyond a wrapper Wto remove a box from the table l3 and place and center it on the wrapperW.

The transfer mechanism disclosed herein is actuated by means of aphotoelectric cell and amplifier [5 which is energized by a light sourcel6 situated at the opposite side of the conveyor I!) from thephotoelectric cell and so positioned vertically with respect to theconveyor it that the light beam is intercepted by the boxes as they areadvanced by the conveyor. The impulses generated by energizing anddeenergizing of the photoelectric cell are utilized to control theoperation of the transfer mechanism, now to be described. As best shownin Figure 2, the transfer mechanism includes a slide member I6 which ismounted on a guide rail I! at the end of the frame or table I I forreciprocation transversely of the frame or table. The slide member IE5has a lateral extension [8 thereon provided with a vertical opening toreceive a vertically movable bar or rod 99. The bar [9 is connected toone arm of a bell crank lever 2i which is supported on the slide l6 bymeans of a pivot pin 22. The arm 20 of the bell crank extends through aslot in the side of the extension l8 and has a pin and slot connection23 with the bar l9 so that rocking movement of the bell crank 2i willproduce vertical movement of the bar If). Vertical movement of the barmay be controlled by the length of the slot through which the lever arm2!] extends or by means of pins We and [9b on the bar i8, above andbelow the extension It. The other arm 24 of the bell crank is connectedby means of the link 25 to the upper end of a lever 28 which issupported pivotally on a bracket 27 mounted on the floor or othersupport near the base of the frame or table H. The lever 25 may be oftwopiece construction in which the upper end portion 28 of the lever isslidably mounted between the parallel arms 29 and 30 of the lowerportion 3| of the lever and may be held in adjusted position lengthwisethereof by means of a bolt or screw 32. Adjustment of the length of thelever 2% permits adjustment of the movement of the slide it.

The lever 26 is rocked back and forth by means of a crank pin 33engaging in the slot 34 between the arms 29 and 3B of the lever 26. Thecrank pin 33 is mounted on a crank disc 3'5 which is driven by means ofa shaft 36 to which it is fixed. The shaft 36 is connected to a sourceof power such as an electric motor 31 by means of a single revolutionelectrically controlled clutch 38 of conventional type. The clutch isprovided with electrical means for tripping it so that it will connectthe shaft 36 to the motor 33 for a single revolution and then willdisconnect the motor from the shaft. The clutch 38 is energized andcontrolled by the photoelectric cell It. Thus, while the light beamimpinges on the cell, a current is generated which keeps the clutchdisengaged. When the beam from the light source it is interrupted, theclutch 38 engages and drives the crank disc 35 through one revolution,thereby moving the slide plate i6 from the position shown in full linesin Figure 2 to the dotted line position and then back to the full lineposition.

The motor 31 can be shut off by the operator by means of either of twoswitches 40 and 4|. The operator has a foot-controlled switch 40 on thefloor and a hand-controlled switch 4| on the table l3 connected inseries with the motor 31. The operator can open the hand-controlledswitch 41 if the boxes are to be allowed to accumulate while thewrapping machine is being adjusted or reloaded with wrappers. Thefootcontrolled switch can be opened to by-pass efective boxes or for anyother reason. It will be understood that the switches may also be 0011-nected in the amplifier and clutch circuit to prevent operation of theclutch, if desired.

The vertically reciprocable bar l9 carries a pusher member 42 foradvancing the boxes one by one on to the table I3. As shown in Figure'3, the pusher 42 may consist of a rod 43 which is bent downwardly andthenlaterally to position it properly with respect to the conveyor sothat it will engage near the lower part of the side wall of a box as thepusher moves from the full line position to the dotted line positionshown in Figure 2. The lower portion of the rod 43 is provided with ablock 44 having a for wardly projecting flange 45 which overlies th edgeof the box and prevents it from tipping as it is being pushed off theconveyor Ii]. The upper portion of the rod 43 may also have a block 46held thereon by means of a Screw which supports a generally L-shapedlimit stop arm 47- The arm 4! is normally out of the path of theadvancing row of boxes and permits the leadin box to pass beyond theusher member 42 and off of the end of the conveyor in when either of theswitches 40 and 4| is opened by the operator. The left-hand end of thepusher member 42 is adjustably mounted in a hole in the upper end of thebar l9 by means of a screw so that the pusher member moves up and downwith the bar l9.

In operation, when a box intercepts the beam from the light source, theclutch 38 is actuated 2; use; rev:

to couple the' mtor"3'l= tothe-sha'ft 36" so that:

bell crank torock in a counter-clockwise dire'c--- tion:Theroclcingmovement of" the bell crank pulls the-bardsand-thepushermember-42 there-- on downwardly behind a box-B; before-the slide beginsto' move to thedeft as viewed in Fig. Movement of the slide andthepusher member 42i'tfo the left pushes the box-ofithe conveyor l0 andon to; the table or-platform 1- 3, at'wh-ichtime the pusher 42- and'associated elementshas reached the-lower-positionshown indotted linesiirFiguresl and 2; At'the'end of thestrokeof the lever 26 to theleft, itis rocked in a clocknext box carried by the conveyor it on to the tablel3. During operation of the transfer mechanism, the slide may have aslight overtravel to the right, due to inertia, in which case the pusher42 will drop down into position for engaging and advancing the next box.In some instances, it may be found desirable to counterbalance the barand the pusher 42 by means of a spring 48 connecting the lower arm 24 ofthe bell crank to the extension IS.

The bell crank connection between the actuating lever 26, the bar l9 andthe slide I6 together with the inertia of these parts produces thenecessary up and down movement of the pusher member 42 to advance theboxes on the forward stroke and to move in a path above the boxes on thereturn stroke.

In order to guide the boxes into proper relation to the pushermechanism, the table or frame H may be provided with a guide rail 8which overlies the conveyor I0 and may be justed transversely of theconveyor by means of the slotted adjusting and supporting brackets 49and 50 which are retained in adjusted position by means of the screws 5!and 52.

The boxes being transferred to the table may also be guided across thetable by means of a fixed guide rail 54 carried by the table I3 and anadjustable guide rail 55 also carried by the table l3. The guide rail 55may be supported by the adjustable brackets 56 and 51 so that boxes ofdifferent lengths may be accommodated therebetween.

The boxes on the table are prevented from tilting by means of metallicstrips 58, 59 and 6ll which are connected to a rod 6| extendingtransversely of the table l3 and above the boxes being transferredthereto. The rod BI is rotatably supported in the standards 52 and 63extending upwardly from the table I3. The spacing of the strips 58, 59and Gil may be adjusted by loosening the set screws 64, 65 and 66 whichsecure them to the rod 6 l.

The provision of the table l3 makes it possible to deliver the boxesfrom the conveyor 10 into a position where the operator requires only atable and the like.

very short movementof the hand: to lift: the from-thetable and center itaccurately onthe: wrapper-W1- The-stayedor formed boxes-can beaccumulated by opening the switch 4|, if? itis necessary toshutdown thewrapping machinefor shor-t periods of time; This accumulation will'*amount to several thousand boxes on a long run which is advantageous asit permits the box' former tobeset while the accumulated formed boxesare being used" by the. operator; Thi'sresul'tsina saving of nearlyone-half of thechan-ge-over time oi the complete unit;

All inall; the transfer mechanism greatly. eases the task of theoperator andspeedsup the opera-.

1 tion of-pl'acingtheboxesonthe wrappers so that thebox formingand thebox wrappingmachines carrbe speededup without overburdeningthe-operator:Moreover-it keeps the box forming and wrappingmachines in operation overlongerperiodsof times As a result, the output of'the machines can begreatly increased and the op erator' can workforlonger periods oftimewith greater comfort and less fatigue than with the prion machinesetups;

It will be understood' that the transfer mechanism is susceptible tomodification such as, forexample, in thelength-of the-stroke of thepusher mechanism, the design of the-pusher member-and in the length andarrangement of the tra-nsfer Iherefore, theformof the inventiondisclosed herein should beconsidered illustrative and not as limitingthe scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A device for transferring boxes and the like from a conveyor to anoperators station where the boxes are placed manually on wrappers fortransfer to a wrapping machine, comprising a slide member mounted formovement transversely of said conveyor, a bar member mounted forsubstantially vertical movement on said slide member and movabletransversely therewith, a pusher overlying and extending substantiallylengthwise of said conveyor, said pusher member being fixed to andmovable with said bar member for movement up and down with respect tosaid conveyor and transversely thereof, a bell crank lever pivotallymounted on said slide member and having one arm pivotally connected tosaid bar member to move it up and down in response to pivoting movementof said bell crank lever, driving means movable back and forth in aplane transversely of said conveyor and connected to the other arm ofsaid lever to rock it and move the slide member, thereby to cause saidpusher member to move through a generally rectangular path in a verticalplane, and means responsive to the presence of a box on said conveyor toinitiate operation of said driving means.

2. The device set forth in claim 1 in which said driving means comprisesa motor, a crank, a single revolution clutch connecting said crank tosaid motor, a lever pivotally mounted and connected to said crank foroscillation thereby, and means connecting said lever to said other armof said bell crank lever.

3. A device for transferring set-up boxes from a first conveyor to atable at an operators station where the boxes are placed on wrappers fortransfer to a wrapping machine, comprising a slide member mounted forhorizontal movement transversely of and adjacent to one end of saidfirst conveyor, a movable member mounted on said slide member forsubstantially vertical movement, a pusher member fixed to saidvertically movable member and overlying a portion of said firstconveyor, a rockable element pivotally mounted between its ends on saidslide member and pivotally connected at one end to said verticallymovable member, an oscillatable member connected to the other end ofsaid rockable member and movable transversely of said first conveyor torock said rockable member and move said slide, and means responsive tothe presence of a box on said first conveyor for moving saidoscillatable member through one cycle to cause said pusher member toengage and push said box from said first conveyor on to said table andthen move upwardly and return to an initial position.

4. A device for transferring boxes and the like from a first conveyor toan operators station where the boxes are placed manually on Wrapperscarried by a second conveyor for feeding them into a wrapping machine,comprising a table adjacent to said first conveyor and extending overthe edge of said second conveyor at the operators station, means to movesaid first conveyor continuously, a pusher member overlying said firstconveyor in an initial position out of the path of the boxes carriedthereby, means supporting said pusher member for movement transverselyof said first conveyor from the initial position to push a box therefromon to said table, means responsive to the presence of a box on saidfirst conveyor in front of said pusher member to move said pusher membertransversely of said 8 table from said initial position and return it tosaid initial position, a limit stop member mounted on said pusher memberand extending transversely of said first conveyor out of the path ofboxes carried by said first conveyor, said stop member being movablewith said pusher member to stop said boxes from being carried past saidpusher member by said first conveyor when said pusher member is movedtransversely of said first conveyor, and manually controlled means atsaid operators station to render the means to move said pusher memberineffective to move said pusher member out of said initial position andto retain said stop member out of the path of said boxes to enable saidfirst conveyor to carry said boxes past said pusher member for dischargeat the end of said first conveyor.

MONROE TARANTO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 917,296 Hookey Apr. 6, 1909 1,140,915 Redd May 25, 19151,650,900 Mayers Nov. 29, 1927 1,726,418 Aldrich et a1 Aug. 27, 19291,978,005 Winkley Oct. 23, 1934 2,227,346 Holm Dec. 31, 1940 2,320,961Whitcomb et al June 1, 1943

